Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series. On this episode, we talk with Southern California–based jazz vocalist, composer, arranger, and educator Alex Robinson. We get into her debut and new 2026 CD, I Really Outta Tell You, along with her life and journey in the jazz world.

Alex captivates audiences with her warm, velvety tone, sharp lyricism, and playful improvisational style, moving effortlessly between jazz, pop, and soul while breathing new life into the Great American Songbook. Her new album balances elegance, wit, and emotional depth, showcasing her natural gift for storytelling through song.

Over the years, Alex has performed on stages across the United States—and even the open seas—as an Entertainer Pianist with Disney Cruise Line. She currently performs throughout the Greater Los Angeles area and is also a valued member of the faculty at Mt. San Antonio College and Chapman University.

🎙️ Enjoy this engaging and musical conversation.

Get the album I Really Outta Tell You:
https://www.musicbyalexrobinson.com/store/p1/i-really-oughta-tell-you.html

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series. On this episode, we talk with Kansas City–based jazz guitarist and singer Mike Bourne of KC Boogie. We get into his chart-topping 2025 CD Kansas City O’Clock and his life in music.

The album’s songs are shaped from a blues that comes from another kind of clay. Instead of Muddy Waters, it’s fried in Louis Jordan batter; instead of Robert Johnson, it carries T-Bone Walker scuffs on its shoes. There’s an effervescence to the music as it introduces new ears to the storied sound of Kansas City jazz and blues—full of style, attitude, and well-nourished blues ancestry.

Kansas City O’Clock delivers a big-band and swing-driven approach to the blues, featuring honking saxophones and exciting, high-energy arrangements. Mike Bourne continues to specialize in jump blues, swing, and roots music, keeping the Kansas City tradition alive while pushing it forward.

We also talk about his live gigs, from Club 1909 in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, to The Black Dolphin in downtown Kansas City.

🎷 Dig this interview.

Get the album Kansas City O’Clock:
https://greenladylounge.com/mike-bourne-band--kansas-city-oclock.html

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with acclaimed jazz vocalist Paul Marinaro. On this episode, we dive deep into his stunning 2025 album Mood Ellington, a lavish and ambitious collection of 25 Duke Ellington vocal masterpieces reimagined for the 21st century.

This remarkable project features arrangements by 13 of the world’s most celebrated jazz arrangers, including Alan Broadbent, John Clayton, Bill Cunliffe, Chuck Israels, and Chuck Owen, and is performed by Paul Marinaro’s Chicago-based quartet alongside horns and a lush string section. The result is a sweeping, elegant, and modern celebration of Ellington’s timeless artistry.

Beyond the music, we also talk about delivering jazz to fans in today’s America, the evolving relationship between artists and audiences, and what it means to honor tradition while pushing the music forward.

🎶 Mood Ellington is Duke Ellington’s songbook brought to life with wit, sophistication, and deep reverence—dig this conversation.

👉 Get the album:
https://originarts.com/recordings/recording.php?TitleID=82937

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series featuring Tony Award® nominated actress, singer, and writer Melissa Errico.

In this spirited conversation, Melissa joins us to discuss her 2026 album I Can Dream, Can’t I? — a deeply personal and revealing project created with pianist Tedd Firth, one of New York’s most intuitive accompanists. Together, they explore a quieter lineage of the American Songbook, focusing on songs that ask questions rather than make bold declarations.

Melissa performs each piece like an interior soliloquy, uncovering the emotional subtext within the work of Cy Coleman, Jerome Kern, Duke Ellington, Rodgers & Hart, and Joni Mitchell. The album weaves together her gifts for storytelling, curiosity, and emotional nuance, offering a reflective lens on creativity and expression in 2026 America.

Rather than leaning into bombastic standards, I Can Dream, Can’t I? reveals the Songbook’s most powerful moments as intimate, inward, and quietly searching.

🎶 Get the album:
https://melissaerrico.com/music/albums/i-can-dream-cant-i/

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series featuring Zurich-based jazz guitarist, composer, and teacher Mareille Merck.

In this conversation, Mareille joins us to talk about her new 2026 album Kaleidoskop, her fast-rising career on the European jazz scene, and how she’s beginning to make waves across the Atlantic. We dive into her work as an educator, her compositional approach, and the musical journey that began when she discovered jazz guitar as a teenager.

Kaleidoskop features a fresh arrangement of “My Favorite Things” along with a heartfelt tribute to Bill Frisell, reflecting her deep roots in jazz tradition while pushing into new sonic territory. Mareille has studied with jazz titans, earned multiple awards, and continues to build a career that is clearly on the rise.

🎸 Get the album:
https://www.mareillemerck.com/records/kaleidoskop

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series featuring acclaimed jazz singer Martin Bonventre and arranger/music director Jackie Presti. We caught up with this dynamic New York City duo to talk about their 2025 release Swinging in a New Dimension, their creative partnership, the current state of jazz, and where the music is headed next.

Martin Bonventre is a true old-school showman—boasting a rich baritone voice, smooth stage presence, and a big, open-hearted personality. With a career rooted deeply in musical theatre, he has appeared in some of the most memorable musical comedy productions, performing in regional and summer stock theaters from coast to coast. His journey began at the City Lights Youth Theatre in New York City, where his passion for the stage first took hold.

Alongside arranger and music director Jackie Presti, Martin brings classic swing energy into a modern frame, blending tradition with fresh perspective. We get into the album, the artistry, their working relationship, and much more.
Enjoy this conversation.

🎶 Get the album:
https://www.martinbonventre.com/ 

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series featuring NYC Big Band Leader George Gee and Producer/Bassist Clyde Bullard. We caught up with them to talk about a rare, one-time-only jazz event bringing together two major forces in contemporary jazz.

Multi-Grammy Award winner Arturo O’Farrill and the George Gee Swing Orchestra unite for a special performance at Flushing Town Hall on Saturday, February 7, 2026, as part of the venue’s acclaimed Global Mashup series. The historic night blends ballroom swing and Afro-Latin jazz as O’Farrill’s Afro-Latin Octet and Gee’s long-running swing orchestra each perform a set before joining forces for a grand finale.

While both artists are staples of the New York jazz scene, this marks the first time they will ever share the same stage. George and Clyde break down the collaboration, the music, the vision behind the show, and much more.
Dig this conversation.

🎟️ Tickets & Info:
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/show-details/global-mashup-the-george-gee-swing-orchestra-meets-the-arturo-ofarrill-afro-latin-octet-ballroom-dance-meets-mambo

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Welcome to a very special edition of the Neon Jazz interview series. Today, we honor a true titan, visionary, and cultural force who will be sorely missed in Kansas City and far beyond—Mrs. Anita Dixon-Brown.

Anita Dixon-Brown served as the former Executive Director of the legendary Mutual Musicians Foundation, and she played a pivotal role in securing Kansas City’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Music—a global recognition rooted in decades of jazz excellence and cultural preservation.

Born on September 26, 1956, Anita left us suddenly on January 4, 2026, at the age of 69. Though her time was far too short, her influence on jazz, arts advocacy, cultural equity, and historic preservation was towering and enduring. Her work ensured that Kansas City’s jazz legacy was not only honored, but protected and amplified on the world stage.

In this retrospective, we reflect on Anita’s life and legacy through the voices of Kansas City musicians and cultural leaders, including Lonnie McFadden, along with friends and collaborators from near and far. Their words paint a portrait of a woman whose leadership, grace, and unwavering dedication shaped generations of artists and preserved one of America’s most vital jazz institutions.

Long live Anita Dixon-Brown.
Her legacy resonates.
Her impact endures.
And she will never, ever be forgotten.

🎷 Dig this tribute to a Kansas City force.

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series. On this episode, we talk with Journalist and Author Con Chapman about his 2023 book Kansas City Jazz: A Little Evil Will Do You Good. This acclaimed Boston-area writer joins us for his second appearance on Neon Jazz, and as always, brings a deep well of insight, research, and storytelling.

The book is the first comprehensive study of Kansas City jazz in more than 15 years, drawing on new research to explore how this uniquely American sound emerged from the Midwest and evolved into a defining jazz sub-genre. Chapman profiles the musicians who shaped the scene, many of whom developed distinct styles within—and far beyond—the Kansas City jazz framework.

From Andy Kirk and the Twelve Clouds of Joy to Charlie Parker, we dig into the personalities, cultural forces, and musical innovations that created Kansas City’s unmistakable jazz identity. We cover the broader themes, the hot-button topics, and the human stories that brought this music to life. It’s always a wealth of wisdom and knowledge. Dig this conversation.

📘 Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Kansas-City-Jazz-Popular-History/dp/1800502826

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series. On this episode, we sit down with Brooklyn-based jazz bassist, composer, and vocalist Kelsey Mines to explore her latest 2025 releases, including Everything Sacred, Nothing Serious and Collusion and Collaboration—a powerful project created with the mighty Vinny Golia—along with a life fully dedicated to music.

Originally from Seattle, Kelsey grew up immersed in jazz, with a father who was also a jazz musician. That foundation helped shape her wide-ranging musical path, which spans jazz, classical, and experimental music, blending structure with risk and deep expression. Her work reflects a fearless artistic voice grounded in tradition while constantly pushing forward.

We talk about her creative process, collaboration, compositional vision, the Brooklyn jazz scene, and what it means to build a sustainable artistic life in today’s musical world.

🎶 Everything Kelsey Mines:
https://www.kelseyminesbass.com/

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